Tet bonus for preschool teachers in Ho Chi Minh City: School owner prepares 500 million VND.

Lunar New Year bonuses for preschool teachers and staff in non-public educational institutions are both practical and humane, motivating employees after a year of hard work and dedication.

It is now the 11th lunar month, and people are eagerly anticipating the 2025 Lunar New Year. The question of how much the Tet bonus will be, whether it will be substantial, the same as last year, or whether it will be better or worse than last year, is a concern for many preschool teachers and staff in private preschools in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tet bonus based on teachers' minimum salary.

Ms. Duong Thi Kim Anh, Principal of Hai Yen Kindergarten in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, stated that for the 2025 Lunar New Year, her school will award bonuses based on the minimum salary of the teachers. For example, a teacher with a university degree earning 9 million VND/month will receive a bonus of 9 million VND. A teacher with a college degree earning 8.7 million VND/month will also receive a bonus of 8.7 million VND. A teacher with a vocational diploma earning 8 million VND/month will also receive a bonus of 8 million VND.

Teachers and students of Hai Yen Kindergarten, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City

Since 2023, the school has also encouraged teachers and staff who have worked at the school for a long time by paying them higher Tet bonuses. Teachers who have worked at the school for 5 years receive a Tet bonus equal to 1.5 times the minimum wage.

"If, during the year, the female employees have not worked for a full 12 months, the Tet bonus will be calculated using the formula: take the minimum salary divided by 12 months, then multiply by the number of months worked in 2024," Ms. Kim Anh explained.

"This is how the school has calculated Tet bonuses in recent years. Compared to the 2024 Tet bonus, the 2025 Lunar New Year bonus is higher because teachers received a salary increase from the beginning of September 2024," Ms. Kim Anh said.

Teachers and students of Hai Yen Kindergarten, Tan Phu District, in a recent activity to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army.

Ms. Kim Anh added that at Hai Yen Kindergarten in Tan Phu District, on the first day back to work after the Tet holiday, teachers and staff received lucky money from the school owner through a lottery system, with denominations ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 VND. The teachers were also treated to a Tet movie screening and dinner.

According to Ms. Kim Anh, thoughtful Tet bonuses are one of the ways to better care for the material and spiritual well-being of the school's staff, thereby retaining teachers and employees and keeping them committed to the school for the long term.

We have to ensure that the Lunar New Year bonus is adequate, even though student enrollment isn't as high as last year.

The Lunar New Year 2025 falls at the end of January and the beginning of February, a situation that has left owners of private preschools in Ho Chi Minh City feeling both happy and worried. One private preschool owner said they were "happy" because parents could still send their children to school and pay tuition fees from the beginning of the month. If Tet (Lunar New Year) fell in the middle of the month, some parents might keep their children home for the entire month to avoid paying school fees. However, they were also "worried" because owners of private preschools would have to simultaneously manage paying teachers' monthly salaries and Tet bonuses.

The owner of a preschool in Thu Duc City (Ho Chi Minh City) said that the facility is preparing over 500 million VND to pay salaries and Tet bonuses for the entire staff in 2025. The Tet bonus for teachers is equivalent to one month's salary, in addition to a year-end celebration party, and the school also needs to prepare lucky money for the teachers at the beginning of the year.

Although schools will face difficulties, especially with enrollment figures lower than last year, the school owner stated that they must ensure adequate Tet bonuses for their staff and teachers. Because the private preschool sector is highly competitive, without a decent Tet bonus, staff will likely quit after the holiday and move to other schools immediately. This would then cost the school more time and money on recruiting and training new staff.

A good and stable Tet bonus is one of the solutions to retain employees.

Children at a private preschool

Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Dan, owner of two kindergartens in Binh Tan and Tan Phu districts, Ho Chi Minh City, said that she and her accounting department are reviewing income and expenses to prepare approximately 1.2 billion VND to pay January salaries and Lunar New Year bonuses for her staff, as well as organize a year-end party for the teachers.

Ms. Dan's two schools have a total of 480 children and over 80 staff members, from administrators to teachers and other employees. This year's Tet bonus remains the same as in previous years, equivalent to one month's 13th-month salary for each person. Tet bonuses range from 7-11 million VND per person for teachers, and over 20 million VND per person for management staff.

According to Ms. Dan, this year, the overall situation in the city, particularly enrollment at private preschools, is more difficult than in previous years. The total number of children in her two schools is only 85% of what it was last year. Although the number of children has decreased, expenses have increased, and teacher salaries and bonuses cannot be reduced, making things difficult for all school owners. Despite this, all school owners are encouraging each other to overcome this period, hoping for a more positive enrollment outlook in the future.

Teachers and students of Tay Thanh 2 Kindergarten (Tay Thanh Kindergarten system), Ho Chi Minh City

Speaking to a reporter from Thanh Nien Newspaper, the owner of a kindergarten in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, also said that the Tet bonus for teachers this year remains the same as in previous years, about 70% of their actual salary, because the school is facing financial difficulties. "The number of children is smaller, but the monthly expenses of private kindergartens are still very high. However, we all try our best because a good and stable Tet bonus is one of the solutions to retain staff, helping the school to remain stable and work well. Otherwise, after Tet, staff will leave, and the situation will become even more difficult," the school owner expressed.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuong-tet-giao-vien-mam-non-tphcm-chu-truong-chuan-bi-500-trieu-12-ti-dong-185241219151601551.htm